Bicyclist regularly traveled Hebron road where he was killed in hit-and-run

Bicyclist regularly traveled Hebron road where he was killed in hit-and-run

Police still looking for the driver accused in the hit-and-run crash

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Updated: 6:45 PM EDT Aug 28, 2017

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WEBVTT ENDS REGARDED HIM AS AGENTLE GIANT.THE EVIDENCE PAINT SHOWING THEOUTLINE OF THE BICYCLE IS STILLVISIBLE THREE DAYS LATER.KENTUCKY 237 AT NORTHSIDE DRIVErtIN HEBRON WHERE SOMEONE STRUCKAND KILLED A CYCLIST EARLYSATURDAY MORNING, LIKELY HOURSBEFORE HIS BODY WAS FOUND.>> MA'AMrt, HIS MOUTH IS, HIS FACEIS SWOLLEN.HIS MOUTH IS -- rtJOHN: TERRY RATLIFF, WHO CALLED911, TOLD US SHE COULD TELL HEWAS GONE.SHE WAS ON HER WAY TO WORK AT ANEARBY UDF WHEN THE BIKE CAUGHTHER EYE AND THE REST OF IT STILLMAKES HER SHUDrtDER WITH SADNESS.HE WOULD REGULARLY PEDAL HERE TOSNAP FITNESS TO WORK OUT.>> HE WOULD ALWAYS RIDE HIS BIKEHERE.HE'D COME IN AND I'D ALWAYSOFFER TO GET THE DOOR FOR HIM.HErt'D ALWAYS BE LIKE, NO, I'MGOOD AND HE'D ALWAYS HAVE ANICE, GENUINE BIG SMILJOHN: THIS IS IN-HOUrtSE VIDEO OFHIM FROM A WEEK AGO.FRIENDS SAY HE'D WORK ONE JOB ATNIGHT, BIKE HERE OR FOUR TIMES ATHREE WEEK AND WORK A SECOND JOBDURING THE DAY.THE CHALKBOARD EXPRESSES A SENSEOF PROFOUND LOSS THAT IS FELT ATA PLACE WHERE EVEN MORE STrtRENGTHIS NEEDED NOW.>> AND THEN TO FIND OUT LATER,YOU KNOW.IT WAS SOMEBODY WE KNErtJOHN: SO FAR, NO WITNESSES, NOSURVEILLANCE VIDEO, ONLY THEBELIEF BY INVESTIGATORS THAT THEBIKE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY APASSENGER CAR AT ABOUT 40 MILESPER HOUR.>>rt CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR ANYVEHICLES THAT MAY HAVE DAMAGETHAT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITHTHE CRASH.JOHN: LIEUTENANT CHRIS HALLMENTIONS RIGHT FRONT HEADLrtIGHTAND HOOD DAMAGE.SOMEONE'S CONSCIENCE COULD BEHURTING AS WELL.>> SOMEBODY HAS TO KNOWSOMETHING.WE ARE ASKING, WE ARE IMPLORINGPLEASE CALL THE BOONE COUNTYSHERIFF'S OFFICE.rtJOHN: FRIENDS ARE ANGUISHED BYTHE THOUGHT THAT HAD HE GOT HELPRIGHT AWAY, HE MIGHT HAVESURVIVED.>> THEY NEED TO COME FORWARD ANDrtLET'S HEAR WHAT HAPPENED.JOHN: ACCORDING TO LT. HALL, THEBIKE WAS IN THE ROADWAY WHEN HITFROM BEHIND.HE WAS WEARING SEMI-DARKCLOTHING, NO REFLECTIVE VEST.

Bicyclist regularly traveled Hebron road where he was killed in hit-and-run

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They continue to check businesses, residential neighborhoods and apartment complexes, but have reached a point where they don't have a lot to go on.

Evidence paint showing the outline of the bicycle that was hit could still be seen today along Kentucky 237 at Northside Drive in Hebron.

That is the location where someone struck and killed a cyclist early Saturday, probably hours before his body was found.

A passing motorist spotted the man's body around 6:37 a.m.

Terry Ratliff, who called 911 and told WLWT she could tell he was gone, was on her way to work at a nearby UDF when the bike caught her eye and the rest of it still makes her shudder with sadness.

According to friends and law enforcement, he would regularly pedal to Snap Fitness to work out at its 24/7 gym.

So, it's conceivable he was hit as early as 2:30 or 3 a.m. and might have laid in the grass undiscovered for hours.

The Boone County Sheriff's Office has had difficulty finding family members of the victim, so they are still withholding his name temporarily.

Those who know him at the gym and in the workplace regarded him as "a gentle giant" and someone who always engaged others in a friendly way.

"He would always ride his bike here," said Jennifer Schneider of Snap Fitness. "He'd come in and I'd always offer to get the door for him. He'd always be like, 'no, I'm good' and he'd always have a nice, genuine big smile."

According to friends, he worked one job at night, biked to the gym three or four times a week to work out and then worked a second job during the day.

On a chalkboard at Snap Fitness, someone wrote about how much he will be missed, expressing a sense of profound loss felt at a place where even more strength is needed now.

"I didn't hear about it until 9:30 in the morning," said Michael Todd Petrea, who spoke movingly about the victim.

"I started reaching out to all my friends that I know that cycled, texting them, just making sure they're OK. And then to find out later, you know, it was somebody we knew."

Petrea told WLWT how the two of them would always chat about old injuries.

"Just a very genuine, nice guy," he recalled.

So far, no witnesses have come forward and no surveillance video has been located.

Investigators confirmed the bike was hit from behind by what they believe to be a passenger car at about 40 miles per hour.

They said the bike was in the roadway at the time and that the rider was clad in semi-dark clothing and wore no reflective vest.

A sheriff's spokesman asked anyone who has information about cars with right front headlight and hood damage to contact them so they can check it out.

"Somebody has to know something," noted Hall. "We are asking, we are imploring please call the Boone County Sheriff's Office."

Friends are anguished by the thought that had he got help right away, he might have survived.

"They need to come forward and let's hear what happened," said Petrea.